Chapter 11
The building was full of small businesses, with three office towers, so it wasn’t unusual to see people job hunting in the area. Before Stephanie could say anything, Ella jumped in again. “I offered you money, and you turned it down. Now you’re out here looking for a job?”
Stephanie let out a short laugh. “Let’s grab something to eat first, and we can talk while we’re at it.”
Since Ella didn’t know about Stephanie’s studio, explaining it all in a couple of sentences would be impossible.
They decided to go to a nearby Mexican spot.
Once they sat down, Stephanie figured it was time to fill Ella in about the studio. She spent the next half hour giving her all the details.
Ella’s eyes widened when she heard about the studio. “You’ve been keeping this a secret? I had no idea
If Ella didn’t know, it was a pretty safe bet that neither the Hart family nor Chris did either.
Stephanie shrugged. “It’s not like I wanted to keep it a secret. I just never found the right moment to tell you,”
Ella thought about it for a moment, then nodded in understanding.
It made sense. When they’d first met abroad, their conversations had mostly been about shopping and relationships.
job, it had been quick and offhand.
“Running for a year now?” Ella asked,
Even when Ella mention
raising an eyebrow.
Stephanie nodded. “Yeah, a year.”
Ella processed the information, then asked, “Is it making money?”
This was the most important question for Stris
anyone–whether it was the Giovanni family or Chris.
As long as she was making money, she could afford to say “no” to
Stephanie smiled a little. “Not much. Just a few million.”
Ella nearly choked on her drink.
A few million? And Stephanie was calling it “not much“.
Ella leaned in, more intrigued than ever. “A travel design studio makes that much? In its first year?”
Most small studios would be lucky to break even in their first year, but hers was already turning a profit.
Stephanie shrugged casually. “If you’re doing it right, it’ll make money. Just promise me you’ll keep this between us.”
“Got it,” Ella nodded, understanding completely.
Olivia–that scheming bitch–would definitely try to take anything Stephanie had. And Ella remembered that Olivia had a background in tourism business.
As for Chris–well, with his shady morals, it wouldn’t surprise Ella if he was trying to sabotage things behind the scenes.
Ella shook her head. “You really shouldn’t care about them. They’re just trying to force you into submission with money.”
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12:09 Mon, 3 Mar
Chapter 11
They’d already cut off her credit cards, so their intentions were pretty clear.
In the end, they were hoping Stephanie would forgive Olivia for planning that car accident.
Ella even admired how much the Harts were doing for Olivia, that adopted daughter of theirs.
“Does Allison know about the studio?” Ella asked suddenly, thinking of another friend.
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Stephanie shook her head. “No, she doesn’t. I haven’t seen her in forever. Every time I try calling, she says she’s at working. saving lives.”
Allison Pierce was another close friend of theirs, a brilliant gynecologist. She was well–known in her field and, naturally, the busiest of the three.
Ella nodded in understanding. “Yeah, she’s probably swamped. I haven’t seen her in over a month either.”
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